Orchestra room faces acoustic problems

Instrumental music students have been experiencing high noise levels in the remodeled orchestra room.

Performing arts teacher Mark Hilt said they were happy with last summer’s remodel but “especially in the jazz classes, where the instruments are amplified, it’s really too loud” and noise from the instruments can be heard in the adjacent choral room, in the deans’ offices on the second floor and math classes on the third floor of Chalmers.

Hilt said that a proposal was received from Wenger Corporation, which provides products in musical education, to improve the noise levels in the room. Drapes have been installed temporarily but do not appear to be providing sufficient sound-blocking, Hilt said.

“The curtains appear to make no difference, although it is my feeling the reverb is less with the curtains in place,” performing arts teacher Andrew Villaverde said.

“We asked for the remodel and they gave us what we wanted, it’s just that we haven’t finished it yet,” performing arts teacher Shawn Costantino said. “Mr. Hilt and I are just looking at it as a work in progress that is in the process of being finished.”